The Moment of Truth
by TheNightFury
Summary: When Arthur finds out about Merlins secret, things go from bad, to worse.


The destruction of the battle for Camelot still littered the ground. People moved among the bodies looking for friends and other loved ones, praying they where still alive. People tried to put out the fires started by the witch, trying to clean up the damage and debris. The exception was Arthur and his servant. Arthur stared at Merlin's trembling form with pure malice. Merlin, his idiotic, kind hearted servant whom he once almost considered a friend, was a _sorcerer._

"Arthur…" Merlin begged.

"SHUT UP!" Arthur screamed pushing him to the floor. Merlin stared there on his hands and knee's, his trembling growing more violent.

"DON'T HURT HIM!" Gwain shouted murder in his voice.

"So" Arthur began darkly, eye's not straying from Merlin, "He told you…about…_this!_"

"No" Gwain replied venomously, "But I know he doesn't deserve to DIE!" He fought Sir Leon's grip who kept him from rushing to Merlins aid.

"He's a sorcerer" Arthur replied darkly, "he's broken the laws of Camelot…"

"Which are wrong!" Gwain shouted, "No one deserves to die because of what they're born with! He's done nothing but protect you and this is how you're going to repay him? By KILLING HIM!" Arthur tried to shove Gwains shouts out of his mind and forced all of his anger on Merlin. He heard Merlin choking on his own sobs, and heard him whisper,

"I'm sorry…" Pain and betrayal laced through his words, making Arthurs anger flare. _He _was the one who had betrayed everyone _not_ Arthur. He _chose _this; he willingly broke the laws of Camelot…_what he was born with_, Gwains harsh words forced themselves back into his mind _born with…_So what? So he was born with magic? He still willingly used it. _'He's done nothing but protect you…'_ once again Gwains words floated through his mind. Arthur shoved them away and whispered with pure malice,

"How many innocent people have the likes of _him_ killed?"

"How many more of his people have the likes of _YOU_ killed?" Gwain demanded with even more malice. Arthur stiffened, vividly remembering almost those exact same words coming from another mouth

_Flashback_

_Things had gone horribly south for the Knight of Camelot. The Witch was killing left and right with just a flick of her wrist. There was fire everywhere destroying everything in its path. Arthur turned to face her, shouting one last warning,_

"_Leave Camelot, for good! And you will be spared!" The Witch crackled and replied,_

"_You're in no position to be making bargains with me young prince." _

"_Oh yes he is!" an all too familiar voice shouted. Arthur spun around, horrified. There stood Merlin, looking like he could murder the witch._

"_What are you doing?" Arthur shouted._

"_Protecting you!" Merlin replied, not taking his eyes of the witch._

"_Get out of here now!" Arthur shouted, truly frightened for Merlin. _

"_No! Stay and join the fun Emrys!" She shouted gleefully. _

"_His name is Merlin! And you leave him alone!" Arthur shouted, "Why are you doing this?" _

"_To avenge those you're father killed in his mad quest to destroy magic so that Camelot can be free!" _

"_My Father has done nothing but protect Camelot from the likes of you! Your kind has killed hundreds of us!" _

"_You killed thousands of us! We only protect ourselves from being destroyed! Your father is responsible for all of your friend's misery."_

"_NO!" Merlin shouted. _

"_He's the reason your friend had to live without a father, hiding his entire life who he was so he could live to see another day…" She continued._

"_STOP!" Merlin cried distressed. _

"_Who are you talking about?" Arthur demanded, "I would never harm my friends!" _

"_Ask Merlin! He knows very well whom I mean!" She cried. Arthur turned to Merlin almost laughing._

"_Tell her she's crazy!" And then caught the look on Merlins face. Misery, he even saw a tear sliding down his face, "tell her…she's crazy…" Arthur begged. Merlin shook his head. _

"_She's…she's telling the truth" Merlin replied. _

"_What?" Arthur asked, "who?"_

"_Me" Merlin replied, "Do you remember Balinor?" _

"_Yes, but what does he have to do with anything?" Arthur demanded._

"_He…he was my father" Merlin replied. _

"_And the truth comes out" The witch crackled. _

"_SHUT UP!" Arthur screamed, trying to think. So his father was a Dragon lord, it's not Merlin's fault...no he could never be mad at Merlin for who his parents where, Arthur knew for a fact that no one can choose there family. The Witch screamed and hurled a dagger strait for Arthur's heart. Before he could react, he heard Merlin scream,_

"_NO!" And saw the dagger stop in mid air. Arthur turned to see Merlin's eyes turning back from a pure gold back to blue. He heard the witch scream and turned in time to see the same dagger that nearly killed him seconds earlier kill the witch. _

_End flashback_

Arthur shook the image away of Merlin, crying over his father's death. _No, he's a sorcerer; he cares for no one…_ But he couldn't seem to make himself believe it. Merlin could have easily killed him by now, but Arthur was still alive, and Merlin was still at his mercy. All his life he'd been told that all magic users where heartless, and wanted to destroy everything that was good.

"I was only trying to protect you…" Merlin explained.

"Why are you telling me this?" Arthur demanded.

"You deserve to understand why before…I…before I…" Merlin couldn't finish his sentence, but Arthur understood. _He really thinks' I'm going to kill him…he did break the law…but I would be dead if he hadn't…_

"He's never used his magic to hurt people; he's only used it to protect you!" Gwain shouted.

"I thought you said he never told you!"

"I just knew from the moment I met him! In the bar remember, the random flying objects…it was pretty obvious" Gwain replied mockingly. Leon watched Arthur, his face devoid of any emotion. "He helped stop the men that tried to kill you remember! He stopped Morgana when she tried to take over Camelot, and I know he's done a lot more but…"

"Why did you do it?" Arthur asked, "Why did you help me when you know how I felt about magic?"

"At first…you where the prince and well…I guess sometimes, I saw the king you where going to be, the good king you'd become and, I hoped you'd be an even better ruler then your father…but now, you're…you became my friend…" _Friend_…he'd never say it out loud, but secretly, Merlin was Arthur's _only real _friend. Arthur shoved the thoughts away; he knew what he was going to do.

The battle had stopped just as suddenly as it started, and Lancelot feared the worst, he knew Gwen and Percival where feeling the same. So, the three had been frantically searching for Arthur, Gwain and Merlin. In the distance he saw a group of figures standing there. As Lancelot got closer he realized what was happening.

Merlin was at Arthur's feet cowering, while Arthur stared down at him with murder in his eyes. _He knows_ Lancelot realized _he knows Merlin has magic_. Arthur raised his swords and Lancelot knew he was to far away to do anything, but he had to try. He knew Gwen and Percival had no idea what was going on, but there was no time to explain. Lancelot ran as fast as he could, trying to stop the inevitable.

As Arthur raised his sword to strike, Gwain screamed,

"NO!" While Merlin, he simply bowed his head in defeat. Arthur brought the sword down, expecting Merlin to fight back, to try and run, anything, but he did nothing. Arthurs sword stopped just as it was about to hit Merlin, who winced in anticipation for the pain, pain that never came. Merlin looked up in surprise when he heard Arthur drop his sword to the ground.

"AHH!" They all turned to look at Lancelot who stumbled to the ground, having tripped over a tree root in his mad race to help his friend.

"Why?" Arthur asked.

"Why…?" Merlin prompted.

"Why didn't you try and stop me?" Arthur asked. Before Merlin could answer Gwain broke out of Leon's grip and charged at Arthur he pinned Arthur to the tree and hissed,

"If you do anything to _ever_ hurt Merlin, I will find out and make you pay."

"Gwain!' Merlin exclaimed, "I'm fine!"

"He almost killed you for your magic!" Gwain shouted eye's not straying from Arthurs face, "How is that ok?" He heard Gwen and Percival gasp in surprise, but ignored them.

"I don't think…he was going to kill me" Merlin explained.

"It looked like he was trying to do just that to me" Gwain growled.

"I think he was trying to test me or something" Merlin replied locking eyes with Arthur, "he wanted to know that I trusted him…"

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever…" Gwain began but Leon cut him off,

"I don't think Arthur would kill Merlin, ever."

"Gwain" Merlin said calmly, "let him go." Gwain gave Arthur one last hard glare before complying, then stalking off back towards the castle. Arthur then faced Merlin again opening and closing his mouth several times before finally saying,

"I'm sorry…"

"It's ok" Merlin assured.

"But, I do want your side of the story" Arthur replied. Merlin nodded his head and did just that.

End


End file.
